Thunder and Strife
by DeathRainbows
Summary: After an unsuccessful battle against the Jotun, Thor was exiled to Earth by Odin by way of the Bifrost Bridge. At that exact moment, Cloud Strife was shot and killed by a Sephiroth Remnant. After securing Mjolnir in New Mexico, Agent Phil Coulson receives a call that another surge of supernatural power has been located near the temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. base in New Mexico. SEQUEL UP!
1. Chapter 1

Coulson was having a good day. The monotony of his job had finally been broken when he had received orders to travel to New Mexico and investigate a supernatural occurrence. It was finally a chance to prove himself and do what he had actually signed up for: investigate the supernatural in the field. He had set up base in the desert around the immovable magic hammer, which, while interesting, was not what he had been expecting or hoping for. He was preparing to write up a few reports when he received an alert notifying him of a second supernatural spike, surprisingly in the same general vicinity as the hammer. He immediately called for a heli, and was soon searching the pale yellow desert below for the source of the signal. It wasn't too long before he spotted a black lump curled up on the sand far below. He ordered the pilot to land about twenty meters from the thing, easing down as quietly and slowly as a helicopter could. As soon as the heli touched the ground, Coulson ripped off his mufflers and hopped off onto the dirty sand below. He carefully took a few steps foward and called out, "Hello! Are you a sentient being?

The shape barely stirred.

"Hello!" Coulson tried again, stepping closer, "Do you have a name?"

The shape stirred again and let out a sound that could have been a groan. Coulson chewed on his bottom lip, narrowing his eyes into slits against the evening sun. As he got the closer, the shape became more defined, with a shock of blond hair and what seemed to be a impractically large sword strapped to its back. He decided to try once more to speak to the object/person before he forcibly took it under custody.

"Hello! Can you understand me?"

The shape stirred again, this time definitely letting out a groan before it turned over, allowing Coulson to see its face. His eyebrows raised imperceptibly. The face...it was undoubtedly human. Despite the earlier readings of supernatural activity, was it possible that he had accidentally stumbled upon the aftermath of drunk roleplay session? This swordsman/swordswoman most certainly looked like a normal human (ignoring the sword and strange clothing). No, he thought, the readings don't lie...but there was a possibility they were faulty...

Coulson took a few more steps forward. He was now only about five feet from the human(?). He crouched down and reached out his hand towards the person's face. His hand was slapped away impossibly fast. He winced and sucked in a breath through his teeth, raising an eyebrow as he studied his quickly reddening hand. It stung terribly, but he didn't allow his face to show it as he glanced back at the person. Super speed perhaps? Or maybe super strength? Regardless, he would take them back to base for a quick lookover. If they turned out to be normal, then they would be let go. If not... well, Fury needn't be called yet.

He stood up and backed away. The person seemed to finally be regaining consciousness, blearily opening their eyes. Coulson shot a quick look back towards the helicopter and signaled for the pilot to radio in for backup. He glanced back down at the person. "You...do you understand me?"

The person looked at him from the ground. Their eyes were a startling blue, and they slowly blinked as they seemed to process what he said. "Who are you?" A male voice rasped. It was soft, but there was an edge of suspicion guarding its words.

Coulson smiled in what he hoped was a friendly manner. "My name is Agent Coulson. You are on Earth. Do you know where that is?"

The stranger attempted to push himself up, but his arms trembled and flopped back down with an 'oomph'. He tried again, this time with better results. He got his feet underneath him and pushed himself up. Now that he was upright, Coulson could study him better. The guy (it was probably a guy) was short, likely no taller than 5'7, and thin as hell to boot. The only muscle on him seemed to be his arms, which baffled Coulson. How was this skinny guy supposed to use that oversized sword? The golden blond hair framed a pretty face, from which two ocean blue eyes seemed to glow in the evening light. He was clothed in black, a shoulder pauldron on his left arm. The man's eyebrows knitted as he stared into Coulson's eyes. "And if I don't?"

Coulson's eyebrows rose. They seemed to be doing that a lot today. "Well, then I suppose we'll have to get you acquainted."

"The man turned away and studied the landscape, his odd eyes roamed the unending desert. "Not interested." He started to walk away, the sand barely sinking under his dark boots.

Coulson cleared his throat. The sound of approaching helicopters boosted his confidence. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The man kept walking. Coulson tried again. "As I said, my name is Agent Coulson. I am a member of the Defense branch S.H.I.E.L.D., otherwise known as the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. We investigate strange occurrences around the world. You're are a strange occurrence. You are henceforth under the custody of S.H.I.E.L.D. Please desist from resisting custody."

The man turned around and stared at him. "I'm leaving. If you think this is going to get me to join Shinra, you're wrong. Tell Rufus to leave me alone." He turned back around and kept walking.

Coulson sighed. He had wanted to do this the easy way. He held up his radio and switched it on. "We've got a runner. Coordinates 31.8150° N, 106.5969° W. Blond hair, black clothes, can't miss him. Tranquilize on sight."


	2. Chapter 2

Cloud Strife was having a terrible day. It had started out bad, sure, what with being attacked by Sephiroth's Remnants, but somehow it had continued to go downhill. Sephiroth had managed to return for a third time using what was left of Jenova and Kadaj's body and though he wasn't at full strength, he had still put up a hell of a fight, skewering Cloud and doing his damnedest to kill him . Cloud still ached from his relentless assault, and he was further exhausted from the pain of the Geostigma that had made a home in his body. Even though Aerith's spring had cured him of the cancerous illness, he would still need time to mentally recover from the parasite and the battle. Unfortunately, it seemed he would never have a break, because as soon as he had watched Kadaj dissolve back into the Lifestream, Yazoo had shot him in the back. He was sure he was dead.

Until he woke up.

The voice had echoed in his consciousness, disturbing his peaceful slumber. He groaned, willing it to go away and leave him in peace. The voice continued after a beat, and he groaned again, this time in pain as he slowly regained feeling in his body. Everything hurt. His foot, torso, arms, face, and _especially_ his chest. The voice kept talking, and he wished with all his might it would just leave him be.

It continued speaking.

He grit his teeth and blearily opened his eyes. He was greeted with the blurry outline of a person. He squinted as he struggled to understand what the figure was saying. His throat protested with soreness and pain as he asked softly, "Who are you?"

"My name is Agent Coulson. You are on Earth. Do you know where that is?"

_Earth?_ He had never heard of such a place, and he had been everywhere on Gaia. Perhaps this was a dream, or with his luck, a hallucination before death. Cloud grunted softly as he managed to get his hands under him.

_Here I go._

He pushed upwards with his remaining strength, but fell back to the ground as his feet slipped out from under him.

_Come on, get up._

He tried again with more success, stumbling upright onto his feet. He felt the smallest bit embarrassed about showing such weakness in front of a stranger, but consoled himself with the fact he would never have to see this guy again. He blinked, trying to clear his thoughts, tiredly turning to face Agent Coulson as he asked suspiciously, "And if I don't?"

Agent Coulson's brows rose. "Well, then I suppose we'll have to get you acquainted."

Cloud assumed that meant the guy expected him to stay.

_Not a chance. _He wanted to go home and sleep. "Not interested." He said dryly.

Cloud started to drag his tired body towards the endless desert in front of him. He considered staying, if only to ask for medical aid, but decided against it. Medical aid wouldn't help him much in a dream, or hallucination, and even if he truly was in a strange new land, he wanted to scope the world out himself first. Besides, he wasn't bleeding anymore. In fact, all of his aches seemed to be phantom pains, because the hole in his foot that was most definitely there before he lost consciousness was now gone, and most notably, the gunshot wound in his chest had disappeared. Healed. That meant he probably truly was hallucinating. He sighed. He was way too exhausted for this.

He was alerted by the sound of helicopters. _Shinra?_ He only barely stopped himself from turning around to see them. Well, this was a desert. Perhaps he was in the Midgar wastelands? A pang went through him as he thought of Zack. Why was Shinra here? Why were they sending helicopters? So many questions, so little energy.

Agent Coulson cleared his throat behind him. . "As I said, my name is Agent Coulson. I am a member of the Defense branch S.H.I.E.L.D., otherwise known as the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. We investigate strange occurrences around the world. You're are a strange occurrence. You are henceforth under the custody of S.H.I.E.L.D. Please desist from resisting custody."

Cloud knitted his brows. That was definitely a Shinra thing to say. He had never heard of S.H.I.E.L.D., but perhaps they used to be under Heidegger or Scarlet and now carried on their own operation under Shinra. But investigating strange occurrences... he didn't like that. If Rufus thought he could use Cloud's current state to apprehend or hire him, he was sorely mistaken. "I'm leaving. If you think this is going to get me to join Shinra, you're wrong. Tell Rufus to leave me alone." He turned back to the desert and continued trudging through the dirt.

Cloud's mako-enhanced senses could detect noises for miles. He almost turned pale when he heard Coulson mutter, "We've got a runner. Coordinates 31.8150° N, 106.5969° W. Blond hair, black clothes. Tranquilize on sight."

What in the world was going on? Rufus planned to tranquilize him? Cloud spun around and glared, ignoring the helicopters that were getting much to close. He ran at Coulson, but didn't remove his sword. One good punch was all he would need. Coulson dropped into a sloppy fighting stance, but Cloud was faster and stronger. He sank his fist into Coulson's stomach, but was careful not to fatally injure him. "I will not go back to Shinra. Tell Rufus to mosey on along." He murmured. He backed away as Coulson dropped and curled into the fetal position. He took a few steps backwards and spotted the black specks that had to be helicopters in the distance. He closed his eyes and breathed for a few moments. Outrun helicopters? He felt sick when he thought about the last time this had happened. _Zack_, _This time will be different, I swear._

He swallowed the acidic bile in his throat and started running in the opposite direction from Coulson, looking for cover as his feet sank into the sandy ground with every step. There was pitifully little cover in the barren desert of the Midgar wasteland. Thankfully, the sun was starting to set, which would at least give him the cover of night. He cursed his bright spiky hair, not for the first time.

_There._ He spotted a rocky outcropping on a somewhat distant cliff side. He raced towards it, pumping his legs and arms, sweating as the last rays of the sun sank beneath the horizon. It would get cold quickly, being out in the desert at night, but the cave would do. He was sure he had a fire materia on him to warm up. The sound of helicopters behind him grew ridiculously loud. They had to be right behind him._ Shit._

He spun around to face the helicopters, drawing his sword. People would get hurt, but if they were working for Shinra... _What if they aren't? What if you're just being paranoid? _A voice at the back of his head asked. More blood on his hands. Regardless, nobody was going to be taking him in for an "investigation". Four years in the Nibelheim Manor's basement was more than enough for him. The helicopters began firing rounds. Cloud danced around them, eyes widening slightly as he saw the small vials attached to some of them. A bullet and tranquilizer combination? He'd have to be fast.

He leaped into the air, meeting the shocked gaze of the pilots, and swung his sword up and to the side, slicing off a few wings from the propeller. It chopped through the metal like it was butter. As Cloud landed back on the ground, the helicopter veered to the side. By the some miracle, the helicopter landed on its side but didn't catch fire. The pilots and one or two passengers scrambled out from the wreck, allowing Cloud a sigh of relief. _No casualties. Yet._ Another helicopter replaced the first, and Cloud gave it the same treatment. This time he swung downwards and to the side. When this one crashed, it caught fire. The pilots managed to escape, but Cloud had no idea about the passengers, if there were any. He swallowed as a third helicopter approached, leaping up to meet it. However, this one knew his tricks, and managed to veer away from his strike. While he fell back down, Cloud swung up with First Tsurugi and wedged the blade into the underside of the helicopter, most likely between the pilots. A few blood droplets crawled down the blade. _Or maybe into the pilots._ He used his momentum to swing his body back and forth like a pendulum. The helicopter swung with him. Cloud performed a back bend on the underside of the helicopter, planting his feet towards the front and pulling out his sword, swinging it back around to the nose of the helicopter and through the engine. He pulled his blade free and flipped back down to earth as the helicopter careened sideways. He was breathing a little heavily, but was otherwise fine. He watched the third helicopter go up in a blaze, smoke pouring out as somebody desperately pounded on the upright door. He tried to turn away and steel himself for the fourth, but he could hear their desperate cries as they tried to free themselves. His eyes darted back towards the wreck. _They didn't deserve this._ He wasn't even sure they were working for Shinra. He knew nothing about these people. He couldn't stand here and let them die. Besides, even if they were Shinra, the were definitely not Turks, and would most likely be harmless once they were out of the helicopter. Cloud sucked in a breath through his teeth, calming his fight-or-flight instincts, and sheathed his sword.

He raced towards the flaming wreck, bracing himself for the heat. He jumped on top of the toppled vehicle and crouched down to pull open the door. He was completely open to attack, so he would have to hurry. It took more than a few tugs, but he managed to wrestle the door open and off its hinges. He threw it to the side, reaching inside the helicopter for the pilots. The second one had crawled over the first, who was unconscious. He pulled the second pilot out, then jumped in and glanced around. No passengers besides the remaining pilot. He unbuckled them and jumped out of the wreck, cradling the pilot in his arms. He set them down a few yards away and checked himself over. No burns, just soot.

A sudden sting in his leg caused him to glance down. A small vial was already pumping itself into his veins. He smiled thinly. That had to be the fourth helicopter. Hopefully the dosage wasn't enough to make him drowsy. Despite being a fake SOLDIER, he had most of the enhancements of one. He plucked out the tranquilizer and glanced around. His head protested and pain shot through his body. He felt his eyes closing. Had they dosed the tranquilizer with a Behemoth in mind? Or perhaps the tranquilizer was simply enough to mess with his already exhausted body. He slumped to the ground, falling face first into the dirt. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but sleep seemed to sweep over him like Leviathan's tidal wave. As his eyes closed, he allowed himself to glare weakly at psudo-Shinra's helicopter. What a terrible day.


	3. Chapter 3

Coulson sighed as he read over the damage reports. Three helicopters destroyed, three casualties, no deaths, countless wasted bullets. He dropped the reports back onto the table and stretched, cracking his back as he yawned. What a day. His general torso area hurt like hell, but at least they had finally caught the mysterious swordsman. That man had put up a hell of a fight. Fury... Coulson wasn't sure how Fury would react. He would be fairly upset over the losses, but his anger would probably be dulled when he saw the strange man who was definitely not human. The blond swordsman (whose name Coulson still didn't know) was currently in an impromptu medical bay. He had been knocked out by one the tranquilizers, which had enough dosage in it to knock out an elephant for a few hours. The stranger would be under for maybe another hour before he would need to be dosed again. Coulson closed his eyes and sank into his seat. That was enough time for a quick nap, right? He settled in. He wanted to rest while he could, before another alert or alarm went off and he had to deal with a flooded port-a-potty or something of the sort. Tiredness took him over and a relaxed smile came onto his face, right before a red alert blared through the small office. Coulson jumped to attention, already grabbing his tranquilizer gun off the wall.

_Is blondie up?_ He wondered idly as his feet carried him over to the medical bay. Blondie had to be the only one in the base who would set off the red alert, right? Thunder rumbled outside. Coulson sped up his pace, hearing screaming from around the corner.

There he was, strapped to the table. Blondie had managed to get one of his arms and one of his legs free and was currently fighting with all his might against a doctor who was approaching with another dose of the tranquilizer. He was screaming his lungs out, clutching his head and flailing wildly. He managed to get his other leg free, and immediately turned to try and free his remaining arm. That gave Coulson the perfect shot. He fired the tranquilizer into Blondie's left shoulder, causing him to look up in shock. The expression soon turned into a wild snarl as he freed his other hand and pulled the tranquilizer out. He jumped off the table and out of reach of the doctor, knocking over tables full of equipment and staring in surprise at the clatter they made. It seemed to shock him out of his rage, and he calmly slumped against the wall. He pulled the tranquilizer out and glanced tiredly at Coulson. "Why am I here?" He asked softly.

Coulson lowered his tranquilizer gun. The tranquilizer didn't seem to be taking effect this time, but this specific type of drug was all they had way out here. Blondie would get away after all they had done to catch him, and God knew how hard it would be to catch him a second time. Fury was definitely going to be mad. "We needed to take samples. You probably wouldn't have agreed any other way."

Blondie gave something between a chuckle and a sob. "You're right. I wouldn't have. Shinra never does ask for permission, do they? Or whatever you guys are."

Coulson shrugged. "S.H.I.E.L.D. And yes, we don't usually ask before protecting Earth."

Blondie shook his head. "That's not a good excuse. You shouldn't need anything of mine to save your world." He glanced around, "Where's my sword?"

Coulson sighed. He dug around in his jacket pocket and pulled out his business card. The business was a front of course, but the information was all correct. "Take this. Your sword is down the hallway to the left."

Blondie eyed the card. "Not interested," he said, then walked quickly down the hallway, throwing over his shoulder, "Don't go looking for me."

Coulson watched Blondie's retreating figure as he tucked the card back into his pocket. The red alert still hadn't shut off. He motioned a few lower level employees in and gestured towards the doctor. "Help him clean up." He briskly walked out of the room and attempted keep his distance from the swordsman while still keeping him in sight. The man turned around and glared at him, asking gruffly, "Why are you following me?"

Blondie was not in a good mood, but that wasn't going to stop Coulson. He cleared his throat and stared the man in his glowing eyes. _Glowing?_ Coulson shook his head. Another question about the man that probably wouldn't ever be answered. "What's your name?"

The man looked at him suspiciously, then turned away and continued walking. "It doesn't matter."

Coulson attempted to catch up, but Blondie increased his pace. Coulson attempted to match him. He could see the exit, rain pounding down on the temporary base. He had to catch him now, before he would lose sight of him in the storm. "Please. Just in case we need to reach you. You can ignore us later, but please tell me your name. I don't want to keep calling you Blondie when I talk about you."/p

The man turned around once more and raised a slender eyebrow, then muttered, "...Cloud. Cloud Strife."

_Cloud Strife_... Coulson sounded it out once or twice. Weird name. At least now he could tell Fury the who the mysterious swordsman was. He patted the card in his pocket. span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"It's a shame he didn't take it,/span Coulson thought. The tracker would have come in handy. He glanced back down the hallway. Cloud had just exited the side room and sheathed his sword, calmly striding out of the hallway and towards the New Mexico desert, only to be violently pushed to the side as another blond man busted his way inside. This one had shoulder-length honey blond hair, broad shoulders, and was thickly muscled. He wasn't strangely dressed like Cloud, so Coulson chalked it up to one of the local crazies thinking they could break in and take the hammer. He quickly pulled out his radio and started running before the crazy blond man saw him.

"Hawkeye, I need backup." He murmured into the radio.

The second blond man (not Cloud) charged down the hallway, yelling, grunting and attacking every man who came his way. He was like a gorilla let lose in a square full of children. Coulson decided to brave storm to try and reach communications. All the surveillance was up there. As he neared the exit he noticed Cloud staring down the hallway, a confused look on his face. Coulson smiled at him. "I guess your not the only weird blond guy in town."

Cloud shook his head, frowning. "I'll stay and help you with this, but then I'm leaving."

Coulson grinned as he ran out into the rain. He yelled over his shoulder, "Thanks! Sorry about earlier. Government business, you know." He chuckled to himself. Cloud was probably only helping because he was mad about getting shoved into the wall and wanted to get the other guy back.

He reached communications, glancing around the room through his sopping curtain of thin hair. His almost good mood faded as he glanced around the room. The glow of computer screens flickered and the thunder outside grew louder. An assistant glanced at him. "All of our frequencies are messed up. The storm keeps shorting them out." Coulson sighed. He figured as much.

His radio buzzed and his lifted it up to his ear. "Are you sending out more backup?" Hawkeye asked. The rain almost drowned his voice out.

"No. Well, another blond guy is on his way, but he's not one of ours. Still, don't shoot him," Coulson responded.

"He better hurry up. Crazy guy is about to get to the hammer."

Coulson nodded towards the guard who opened the door to the observation station. He stared at the scene below him. The crazy blond was smiling fondly at the hammer. Hawkeye's voice rang out from his radio. "Last chance. You want me to shoot this guy?"

Coulson glanced down, and noticed Cloud approaching the crazy blond through the opposite opening, his steps stiff and his posture ramrod straight. Coulson smiled, "No, I want to see this."

Cloud lowered himself into a fighting stance, drawing his sword. "You," He called out softly, "What are you doing here?"

The crazy blond man turned and glared at him. "Pardon me, fair maiden, but this has nothing to do with you. I prithee, leave me to my task."

Coulson snorted as Cloud's cheeks colored significantly. Cloud glared at the other blond, gritting his teeth and replying gruffly, "I'll have to ask you to leave. Now."

The crazy blond man ignored him, turning back to the hammer. He reached out with both hands, settling into a firm grasp on the weapon. Coulson held his breath. Could this man be the original owner? Could he lift it?

The blond pulled. Hard. His veins bulged as he pulled, his muscles straining. His skin was shiny, whether from rain or sweat Coulson did not know. He had his teeth grit, and he let out small grunts and yells as he pulled. The hammer didn't budge.

Coulson swallowed his disappointment. Cloud stared on stoically, but sheathed his sword. He turned around and walked away. The crazy blond took no notice. He continued straining against the hammer, until eventually the rain slicked his grip enough that he fell backwards. The man sat still for a few moments, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His fist balled. He stood up and faced the sky, the rain falling on his face as he screamed his fury to the heavens.

Coulson sighed. Just a regular crazy. "Alright, show's over," He radioed in. The crazy man was apprehended and didn't put up a fight. Coulson glanced at the hammer. _Just who do you belong to?_ He wondered to himself.

On his way out, Cloud didn't spare a glance towards the screaming man. He exited the building and glanced around. It was nighttime. He should head for the nearest town and try to gather supplies. He trudged out of the strange crater the building had been located in, barely paying attention to the sounds of wildlife. However, although he was alert for the footsteps of enemies behind him, he never noticed two pairs of eyes locked onto him. One pair was from Hawkeye. The other was Jane Foster.


	4. Chapter 4

Cloud arrived in town around midnight. He had a few gil, enough for an inn, but he wasn't sure if anyone in this place would take it. Wherever he was, Shinra seemed to be a foreign concept. This S.H.I.E.L.D. group, whoever they were, were the ones calling the shots. He glanced down at himself. He was mostly fine, minus a few puncture wounds on his arms that were most definitely from needle insertion. He was upset about them, but decided he wouldn't worry himself too much. There were things that needed to get done. Things like sleeping in a warm bed (not knocked out on a medical table) and finding a way home. He missed his friends, and Marlene, and Denzel. He was already feeling homesick.

The town wasn't sleepy, but it was small. The weird thing was, there seemed to be cars everywhere. Cars were a luxury few could afford on Gaia. Shira had a few, and Dio had one (that AVALANCHE had crashed), but he honestly hadn't seen to many in his life. For the first time, he truly considered where he was. For that, he had to trace where he had been.

He had defeated Sephiroth on the old Shinra HQ in Midgar (and was shot there to), woken up in the Midgar wastelands (or not?), and was now in a small town that definitely hadn't been in the wastelands last time he had passed through. Cloud often drove through the wastelands on Fenrir on his way to make deliveries, but he hadn't seen the beginnings of any settlements anywhere in the desert. The most likely explanation was that something had happened between him getting shot and him waking up in the (not Midgar) wastelands.

Cloud settled himself on a nearby bench, eyes fixed on the horizon. After he had gotten shot... was it possible... no...but... He shook his head, his hair limply falling around his face. This was all so strange and confusing. He didn't like it. He had only recently put himself back together from the pathetic mess he had been during Meteor, and though restlessness ate at his bones everyday, he was happy with where he was. He was healing, with the support of everyone around him. What could he have done to make the Planet angry? He had been forgiven. By Aerith (who was never mad), by Zack (who was never mad), by his friends (who had been mad, but stayed the whole way), and by himself (who had been the only one to hold a grudge). He looked down at his hand, clenched tightly into a fist. Cloud took a breath to steady himself. He couldn't keep doing this to himself. He would be better, living on for Zack and Aerith. No matter where he was, he would find happiness. Even if it was on a different planet, separated from everyone and everything familiar. Either he would find a way back or he would make a life for himself here. Cloud stood up, a small smile gracing his face. He could do this. Now, he just had to find a bed and get toasty.

He yawned, covering his mouth with a dirty glove. The town was sandy and dull, but he hoped they at least had an inn. To keep himself busy, he checked over his supplies. He had one tent, about twenty potions, ten ethers, one elixir, his fusion swords, and all of his mastered materia. He had a mastered Cure and Lightning slotted with two All. One summon slotted (and total). No change of clothes. He finally arrived at a small building with the word _HOTEL_ written in fancy cursive scrawl on a neon sign. He entered the building and thumped his gil on the counter. "One night please."

The clerk glanced at him, her gaze roaming over him with contempt, and opened the pouch. She pulled out a piece of gil and eyed it suspiciously. She dropped it back into the pouch and pushed it towards him. She glanced at his dirty body and sword, and did a once over of his clothes. She loudly chewed the gum in her mouth and said, "I'm sorry sir, we don't take casino chips here."

Cloud raised an eyebrow but accepted his money back. He would just have to find a place to pitch his tent for the night, then look for work tomorrow. Figuring everything out would take a few days, at best.

He exited the building and was about to continue walk down the street when a voice called out behind him, "Wait!"

He almost didn't turn around, but this person, whoever they were, sounded desperate. He sighed. He jumped when his shoulder was grabbed by a small hand that he immediately shrugged off, but the hand reached back up, grabbing his sleeve. He wrenched himself away, stumbling a few steps, then looked up. It was a women. She was panting, red-faced, but refused to look away from him. She knitted her eyebrows and lifted herself back up, calling out, "Wait!"

He stayed where he was, but glanced at her. She wasn't a threat, just persistent. But she had a wild look in her eyes that made Cloud just a little wary of what she might do. The woman finally regained her breath and stood up to her full height, just barely shorter than Cloud. She looked him directly in the eyes as she said, "My name is Jane Foster. I need you to help me."

Cloud shook his head and crossed his arms. He was way too tired to deal with any of this nonsense. "Not interested." Why did all these people want something from him?

Jane seemed to tear up. _Great, now I made her upset._ He was so _not_ a people person. Jane looked at him again, rattled out a breath and quietly said, "I saw you. At the base."

Cloud froze, only briefly. He glanced at her and narrowed his eyes. Was that a threat? "And?"

Jane drew herself up and stared at Cloud. "I know you'll believe me, because you were there. That man, who stormed in...his name is Thor. He's my friend. I need to get him out of there."

_Oh._ The crazy blond man, whose name was apparently Thor (as in the Nibel gods?), was this woman's friend. And she wanted to bring him back out of government custody, which he himself had only just escaped.

Cloud rubbed the bridge of his nose. He needed a hotel room. To get a hotel room, he needed money. To get money he needed work. And even though he didn't usually care what kind of work he got… was he really ready to become an enemy of the government so soon? Coulson had let him go, but Cloud had no idea how long the truce would last. If he went in now, he might be labeled a threat and attacked. Then again, he could be attacked anyway. He loathed the idea of being captured so soon (especially after his episode in the medical bay), but he was strong and smart (plus the mako had worked its magic against whatever tranquilizers they had stocked). If he had a disguise, he could probably bust Thor out with minimal effort. Against his better judgement, he asked, "How much will you pay me?"

Jane stared at him before smiling. "Oh, I'm sure we can scrounge up two hundred. Erik and Darcy will have to contribute, but you'll get your pay."

Two hundred? Well, work was work, and this job probably wouldn't take more than an hour or two. He stretched for a second and glanced at Jane. "When do we leave?"

Jane stared at him and attempted to get her mouth working. She was obviously surprised he had agreed. "W-well, I need to talk to Erik and Darcy. You can come with me, it'll probably be quick."

Cloud shrugged. He didn't particularly care when they would leave, as long as when they got back he could stay in an inn and sleep for a week, at least.

Erik and Darcy were nice enough. Darcy, strangely enough, reminded him of Yuffie and Aerith if they were one person. Erik and Jane had fought over Norse mythology (some of the names sounded strangely similar to Nibel mythology) and science, with Jane eventually concluding that Thor was who he claimed to be. Apparently he had said he was the _God of Thunder_ Thor, and his crazy stunt at the S.H.I.E.L.D. building was just him attempting to retrieve his legendary hammer, Mjolnir. Now, Cloud wasn't sure about _that_ whole piece of the story, but he was willing to go along with whatever was happening as long as he got his pay. Eventually Jane convinced Erik to go along with the scheme and they headed out to the car. Jane seemed to remember something at the last minute and held up a hand, signaling them to wait. She fished out an outfit from the depths of the back of her car (at least, Cloud assumed it was a car) and handed it to Cloud so he could change. He went into a 24-hour diner bathroom and took off his outfit, which besides being recognizable was filthy from his hectic day. He wet his hands and ran them through his hair a few times, rinsing his face while he was at it, and felt a bit more refreshed. He glanced at the clothes Jane had given him. Bootcut jeans, a trucker hat, sunglasses (he assumed to hide his eyes), and a long sleeve plaid shirt with a white T-shirt underneath. He sighed internally. He would look like a redneck...

But anything was better than the last time he had disguised himself. He shuddered at the memory of Don Corneo's leer as he pulled on his clothes. He looked at himself in the mirror. Truly a redneck...

He met Jane and Erik outside by the large car and they all climbed inside. Cloud situated himself on the lumpy backseat and stared at the ceiling as the radio played a jazzy midnight tune. The shirt itched uncomfortably. He had almost little to no chest (or body) hair, but something seemed to be tickling him beneath the shirt. He scratched absently, frowning when he felt something small roll underneath his fingertips and drop into his lap. He took off his sunglasses and let the mako in his eyes shine on... "_Gross_." He carefully picked up the roach, threw it out the rolled down the window, and unsympathetically watched it crunch under the tires. He rolled the window back up and tried to erase the feeling of roach legs on his chest. _Very, very gross_. He could almost hear Zack laughing and Aerith giggling. He smiled slightly.

After maybe half an hour of travel they arrived at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. The sand kicked up from the van's wheels settled back onto the desert floor. Jane had explained earlier that she would stay in the van while Erik and Cloud freed Thor. If anything went wrong, she could drive them away at a moment's notice. Erik and Cloud quietly disembarked and started towards the base. Cloud slipped his sunglasses back on and dearly hoped the Mako shine wasn't quite as strong as everyone said it was.

_Shit. Just my luck._ Coulson was lounging out front of the establishment, watching the two of them carefully. Cloud walked a bit closer to Erik, making sure to guard him from possible threats. He had the two smallest pieces of First Tsurugi strapped to his legs, but hidden in his boots. Erik approached Coulson with a smile on his face, starting off the flimsy plan with, "I'm sorry to bother you sir, I believe you have my dear associate Donald Blake in your eh...camp. He really wasn't supposed to come here, but you see, he was extremely upset when you came and took all of our equipment. He just couldn't stand to see years of his life, well, stolen like that. I really am terribly sorry for his behavior, but I'll make sure it won't happen again."

Coulson did not seem to be fooled. "His name is Donald Blake?"

Cloud cursed under his breath, but refused to look at Coulson. He took a step forward but still didn't look Coulson in the eyes. He would have to speak loudly. He tried to recall his Nibel accent, and hoped it sounded vaguely 'trucker' enough to go with his persona. "Well, ya see 'ere, ol' Blakey really don't mean no harm. It's jus' today wasn' a great day for ma friend in there. His wife, she, eh hehe, cheated on him, and he only found out this mornin'. Please forgive the fella' he really don' mean no harm."

That had to have been worst performance of Cloud's life, even counting the damn Gold Saucer play. Coulson looked a little more convinced, but he still asked, "And just how was he able to stroll past all of my security?"

Erik thankfully took over for Cloud. "Steroids. Bit of a fitness nut, you see."

Coulson sighed, rubbing his head with his hands. He relented. "Well, he didn't do any real harm. Go ahead."

Erik continued through with Coulson to Thor's holding cell while Cloud stayed outside. He had no fake ID, so he elected to remain outside.

Cloud nearly let out an audible sigh of relief once they were back outside again. He didn't realize he had been holding his breath. Coulson saw them off, glancing at Cloud. Just as they were leaving, he called out, "You! Trucker hat."

Cloud turned around and strained to plaster a relaxed grin on his face. _Planet_, he was awkward. He had no idea how Zack did it. "Um...Ya man?"

Coulson narrowed his eyes. "Why do you have sunglasses on? It's midnight."

_Crap._ He could do this. Erik and Thor were waiting only a few feet away. "Uh...Eye condition...? Can't look at light."

Coulson squinted at him a bit more before grunting out, "Dismissed."

This time Cloud actually sighed as he met up with Thor and Erik. The security man who held Erik's belongings yelled out behind them, "Don't take him to any bars!"

Erik's face drew more tightly together. Thor asked him tiredly, "Where are we going?"

Erik walked more quickly. "To get a drink."

They all piled back in the van, with Cloud and Thor in the back. Thor glanced at Cloud. "Who are you?" He asked, most likely trying to be quiet, which his booming voice made the smallest bit impossible.

Cloud took off his sunglasses and tossed them to the side. He remained quiet for a moment, staring at Thor from the peripheral of his vision. This was the crazy guy from earlier, but… if what Jane said was true, then he was only a guy searching for his weapon. Cloud could understand that. He didn't want to doubt Jane on Thor's origins, and given the rain storm that appeared as soon as Thor appeared, and all the crazy things that had happened to Cloud today alone... he wasn't going to put up to much of a fight against whatever came his way. Plus, he was too exhausted to bother hiding information. "My name is Cloud. Cloud Strife."

Thor stared at him a moment longer before recognition lit up his face. "Ah! That's right, you're the-"

Cloud cut him off. "I am a male."

Thor's eyes went wide. He studied Cloud up and down before a look of consideration flashed across his face. "Are you perhaps like my brother Loki? He is usually a male, but he can change forms at will-"

Cloud glared at him. He was regretting speaking. "No. Male, all the time." He had been confused for a women enough times that he wanted to get it out of the way when he talked to strangers. 'Fair maiden'. He blushed hotly at the thought.

"Ah, I see." Thor said, turning his face towards the driver's seat. He remained quiet for a while, turning back to study Cloud (which Cloud pretended not to notice) before he quiestioned, "You do not seem to be a mere mortal. Are you one of them?" He gestured toward Erik and Jane's seats.

Cloud considered his words. "No," he answered truthfully. He turned his face towards the window, studying the stars above. The smog above Midgar had been clearing for about two years, but it was still almost impossible to see the stars from Edge. He closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and turned away, indicating he was done talking. He just wanted to sleep.

Once they arrived back at the town, Erik announced he was heading to a bar. Thor quickly decided to follow, but not before giving Jane a quick kiss. Cloud stared at them blankly. Tifa had tried many time to kiss him, but Cloud had almost always managed to pull away. He had no desire to couple with anyone, but it still hurt him to think of Tifa, always trying, always rejected. She deserved somebody who could love her as much as she loved them, and in the way she wanted them to love her. Cloud was not that person. He would, however, always do his best to protect her from heartache from anybody else. She was probably his closest friend.

Jane managed to shake him from his thoughts of home, twisting around in her seat to ask, "Do you want me to take you to the hotel? I got your pay earlier."

Cloud nodded. He really did tend to dilly-dally shilly-shally, didn't he? He smiled softly at the thought of Aerith's teasing. Yes, a good night's (week's) sleep was just what he needed.


	5. Chapter 5

Cloud finally booked a room at the hotel and slept in a warm bed for the night. He didn't even bother to take off his clothes. As soon as he shut his eyes, he was out like a light, sleeping soundly until late the next morning.

Cloud groggily opened an eye and turned over, trying to get away from the beams of sunlight as they invaded the dark sanctuary of his room. He attempted to get more comfortable, but the hat he still had on tugged at his hair uncomfortable. He managed to squirm around and knock it off his head, but by then he was too awake to continue his slumber. He slowly sat up, blinking into the warm light coming in through the hotel window. Morning, world, he thought groggily. He sat there a few minutes, letting his head clear. He blinked a few times, wondering what to do next. A warm shower sounded nice. The thought of the water hitting his back soothingly and cleaning off the grim that had accumulated on his skin convinced him to leave the warm retreat of the covers. He pushed himself off the bed towards the bathroom, yawning, grumbling quietly when the cold tile met his bare feet. He stared at himself in the mirror. Yep. The hair looked the same as usual. Eyes too.

He turned the water on and swiftly undressed, climbing in as soon as it was hot enough. Rinsing through the grime in his hair was a welcome chore, sandy grit washed away down the drain. Scrubbing off the dirt on his body was quite the process, layer after layer coming off with soap, but once he got it all off he felt fairly clean for the first time in awhile. He sighed in relief once he was done, letting the hot water cascade down his back. It had been maybe five minutes when the water started to turn cold. Wondering if it was the heater or the owner messing with him, he climbed out and toweled off. He had left his usual all black outfit out on the bed, and when he stepped out of the batroom he was greeted with the welcome sight of it laying clean on his bed.

He dressed and headed downstairs, First Tsurugi strapped to his back with materia equipped. He had decided not to travel anywhere in this world without a weapon, at least until he got more acquainted with his surroundings. He pushed open the 'lobby' door (the inn was to small to have anything considered a lobby) and his stomach growled loudly, reminding him he hadn't eaten in a day or two.

He glanced around the town, looking for a spot to grab a bite to eat. Wasn't there a 24-hour diner somewhere around here? Ah, there it was. He cut diagonally across the not-so busy street, entering the diner. The bell chimed above his head, but he tried to not draw attention to himself as he looked for a place to sit. The diner tried to give off a 'cozy' feeling, but in Cloud's opinion it had more of a 'worn' look to it. The seats all had small holes in them with the stuffing popping out in places, and the barstools squeaked loudly whenever an occupant moved even the slightest inch. Settling for not drawing attention to himself, he grabbed a seat at an unoccupied two-person table and settled in, studying the occupants of the diner. A few were looking at him strangely, but most were watching the four person group at the far back of the diner. Cloud listened and immediately picked up on Thor's gruff voice talking to Jane's higher one. He could pick out a few words over the clatter of the other customers, things like, "father", "Asgard", "Mjolnir", but he couldn't figure out their whole conversation. He knew the latter two terms referred to items of Nibel mythology, but he didn't know who the 'father' was in reference to. A waitress bustled over, asking kindly for his order.

Cloud considered for a moment before he replied, "Water and a pancake, please."

The waitress scribbled down his order in her notepad and smiled, thanking him before leaving to talk to the kitchen staff. Cloud fidgeted in his seat, looking around him for possible distraction. He didn't do to well when it came to staying in one place for to long. His eyes fell upon the strange party entering the diner, all clothed in armor and carrying weapons. They approached Thor like old friends or comrades-at-arms. Thor smiled widely when he saw them, rushing over to embrace each of them in turn. Cloud took this as his cue to listen, moving his chair more towards their general direction.

The only woman of the group was talking to Thor, surprised at whatever he had said a moment before. "Thor, we're coming to take you home," she explained.

Thor stared at her for a moment before chuckling slightly, replying, "Oh, no my friends, I think not. My father banished me here, and now that he is gone I cannot return. I am to live out the remainder of my life on Earth."

The women stared at him in confusion as she slowly said, "Thor...your father, he lives."

Cloud knitted his eyebrows, unsure of what exactly was going on. If Thor was a god, then these were probably his godly friends. Was this some sort of misunderstanding on the cosmic level?

"Here you are, dearie. Have a nice day!" The waitress had entirely escaped his notice, focused as he had been on Thor and his strange companions. The pancake she had placed on the table looked fluffy and swollen with syrup, small strawberries littered here and there. Cloud reached over for the water she had brought, and turned his attention back to the group. They weren't speaking anymore, instead staring out the window. Over the tops of their heads , Cloud could just see what seemed to be the top of a twister worryingly close to the town. He glanced back down at his pancake, back up again at the twister, and took out his knife and fork. As soon as he started cutting, he grunted in frustration and stood up. Projecting his voice a bit, he called out to all the customers and said, "Everyone! Evacuate now before that twister gets here! Back door that way!"

A minor grumbling swept through the diner, but once they caught sight of the twister they begrudgingly got up and did as they were told. Cloud glanced at the group staring out the window. "All of you. Either fight or help the townspeople escape."

They looked at each other and nodded, most likely due to the fact they were taking orders from a stranger. After a brief pause, Thor told Jane to leave for safety, to which Jane protested vehemently. Cloud stared at them in frustration. Now was not the time for couple problems. "Look, Thor, she'll do what she wants. You both aren't helping anybody by just standing there."

Jane and Thor looked at each other for a moment, then back at Cloud, then back at each other before nodding. The four armored strangers were already running towards the twister and Darcy and Erik were nowhere to be seen. Cloud nodded to himself. The diner was clear.

He stepped outside and was immediately buffeted by the winds of the twister, which was quickly approaching. Cloud squinted into the storm, straining to see past the flying sand and dirt. He could barely make out the figure of a bipedal creature that seemed to be completely covered in armor, its footsteps clanking on the flat desert floor. Cloud cursed and ran deeper into town to try and help evacuate before that thing arrived. He found a young mother and her child attempting to flee and directed them to the nearest evacuation truck. He did the same with every person he encountered, hoping against the odds they would be able to flee to safety.

Now that the town was cleared, he could direct his attention towards the armored creature that the Thor's friends were currently fighting. The woman had managed to stab it through the neck, and was preemptively celebrating with her comrades. Cloud shook his head and began to race towards them. Before he was able to get too close, however, the armored beast somehow turned its entire body around and shot a red-hot energy beam from its face. The women barely managed to escape in time, dropping to the ground as the creature regained its bearings. Cloud studied the energy beam and switched out his All from his Lightning-All pair with a mastered Ice materia. He knew that as he gathered energy, he would have to get much closer for this to work. Thor's friend were scrambling away as the creature fired off another two energy beams, destroying cars but missing its targets as they flew from the force of the explosions. Cloud closed his eyes to concentrate as he heard Thor yell for them, but he sincerely hoped that he hadn't left cover to check on them. He might get hurt. The familiar whisper of materia echoed in the back of his mind, and he knew his spell was ready. Cloud opened his eyes and thrust out his hands, unleashing Ice3 on his seemingly fire-based foe. The materia worked its magic as it sailed across the space between him and the creature, infiltrating its armor as it solidified into enormous spikes of ice that seemed to grow out of each other to make a grotesque, super-sized sculpture./p

Despite the pieces of armor being separated incredibly far by the spikes of ice, Cloud was hesitant to say that had finished the job. One careful look confirmed his fears. The armor appeared to be heating up, melting the spikes formed by the attack into pools of water. Unfortunately for Cloud, the piece of armor closest to him happened to be the head, which had already melted through the attack. Cloud's eyes widened and he threw up a weak Barrier as the head piece finished charging, unleashing it's heat beam directly onto his /Cloud flew sixty yards directly into the side of a building. He was sure the beam and crash combined had broken and burned his flesh and bones. Unfortunately, he retained consciousness throughout the ordeal, enough so that he could see Thor charge recklessly at the creature. If he could move or feel his face he was sure he'd be frowning. He'll get himself killed. Why would he do that?

Thor launched himself at the creature, attempting some sort of kami kaze move. It didn't work, and Thor was slapped back to the ground. He curled up on his side, groaning as the beast above him glowered and prepared another attack. Thor seemed to be murmuring something to the creature, talking to it. I see. That thing must be controlled by somebody. Thor probably knows who. Cloud thought to himself. The beast had scorched his face good, turning him into quite a crispy critter. Cloud couldn't feel a thing anymore as an inexplicable tiredness took him over. He slumped to the side, unable to keep watching the fight. It seemed Thor had managed to find a weapon...a hammer? How /His last thought as he fell unconscious was a prayer to Aerith and the Planet, for victory.

Cloud woke up on a gurney, arms and legs strapped down. He was not happy about that. In fact, he was quite upset. This was the second time in two days he had been strapped down and he was, quite frankly, a little sick of it. This time the confines weren't leather, but steel. Great. Staring at the ceiling proved impossible, as directly above him a man stood over him, studying his face. He immediately glared, but on the inside he was having a panic attack. A second Hojo? Who the hell had he pissed off to get this? He began struggling with his bonds, hissing as the metal cut into his wrists. His gloves were gone, but the rest of his clothes were there. As he began to struggle in earnest, the man above him placed his hand on his chest. Cloud stilled, but continued glaring at the stranger, making sure his loathing was known. He would see what this man wanted, then do his damndest to do the opposite. Any agency that tied down people like lab subjects was no friend of his.

The man glanced down at him, an appraising look in his eye. "Strife. Cloud Strife, correct?"

Cloud didn't answer, and instead continued struggling. The man stared at him a moment, then pulled a tranquilizer gun out of his pocket. Cloud stilled, eyeing the gun. "Now, Mr. Strife, I've heard some strange things about you. 'Rufus'...'Shinra'... those names mean nothing to me. Nor do they mean anything any government agency around the world. Or any crime organization around the world. So, let me ask you this, Mr. Strife. Where are you from?" Cloud swallowed, looking away from the man's eyes. He would be difficult, even if it cost him. "Far away."

The man scoffed and glanced at Cloud's outfit. "Obviously."

The man put his hands behind his back and strolled around Cloud, judging everything about him. His demeanor. His body. His personality. Cloud resolutely refused to look away anymore and met the man's eyes, hoping he could convey with his eyes just how much he detested this conversation with all his being.

The man spared him a glance, smoothly opening with, "Mr. Strife, I think you and I could help each other. Now, I am prepared to cut you a deal. My terms are: You must become a citizen of this world. You must agree to S.H.I.E.L.D. medical testing. You must sign onto the Avengers initiative. In return, I won't call the Pentagon and tell them to hunt you down like a rabid dog. Do you agree to those terms?"

Cloud didn't know why he needed to be afraid of a shape, but this man sounded serious. He reconsidered his resolution to be difficult. Two of the terms didn't sound too bad, but the third one... "Take out the part about agreeing to medical testing."

The man glanced down at him, eyebrow minutely raised. "And why should I do that?"

Cloud stared him square in the eye. "Because if you don't, I will break out of here and escape. I don't care who or what the Pentagon is, I'll run. I'm more than willing to live freely for a shorter period of time than become a lab rat again for the rest of my life."

The man seemed to consider his offer, studying his face carefully before he extending his hand. "You drive a hard bargain Mr. Strife."

Cloud rolled his eyes and pointedly tugged on the cuffs on his wrists. The man chuckled, "Right."

He pressed an unseen button and all the cuffs were released. Cloud freed his hands and rubbed gently on the small amount of chaffing. The man once again extended his hand. Cloud ignored it and got up, stretching his aching body. He walked off, ready to leave the man waiting, before he remembered his sword and gloves. He slowly turned on his heel to face the one-eyed man. The man had put his hand away, and was considering Cloud very carefully.

"Where's my sword and gloves?" Cloud asked him.

The man stared for a minute longer before taking out his hand and gesturing to the left. "Down the hallway. They're in the broom closet."

Before he could walk off again, the man said, "I have one more thing to tell you."

Cloud spun on his heel, annoyed at being interrupted again. "What?" He asked sharply.

The man smiled. He liked this kid.

"Welcome to the Avengers."


	6. Notice

Hi everybody, DeathRainbows here. I know I just recently posted this fic, but the idea had been absolutely eating away at me for awhile so I just had to get it down. Of course, I plan for a much, much more extensive crossover (which will be taking place during Avengers 2012!), but all future chapters will be uploaded in a separate fic, the sequel, which is coming this summer. So thank you so much to everybody who has liked this fic, followed it, and especially left a review. I know what I posted was **painfully** short, but don't worry, because more is definitely on the way. If summer comes and I still haven't posted the first chapter by the end of June, you are absolutely allowed to bug me for it. As you all can probably tell, I'm new to writing fics (though I have been reading for quite awhile!), so any and all criticism is much appreciated. Thank you so much if you've read this far, and I hope you enjoyed the story! Have a wonderful day, everyone.

-DR

NOTICE: THE SEQUEL IS UP AND COMPLETE


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